Security & Strategic Review - November 2018

Bolsonaro’s tough stance on public security

In October, Brazilians elected Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain, as their next president. Bolsonaro made tough talk on crime a central part of his campaign, running on a ‘law-and-order’ platform that resonated with a large number of Brazilians troubled by soaring crime rates and widespread insecurity. The question now, as Bolsonaro prepares to take office on 1 January 2019, is what his public security agenda will look like, and how successful he can actually be in keeping to his promise to reduce violence in the country.